June 12th Session 25

June 12th Session 25
Blackstone Keep and the Free City
Septimius Flavius Perfectus (Mike) Human Fighter-6
Rollo Mojo (Josh) Human Warlock-6
Sandreus III (Ben) Human Bard-5 Fighter-1
Appius Umbrius Laurentius (Michael) Human Cleric of Ixion-5
Miles O’Flannagan (Steve) Human Ranger-5
Crag Skullbugger (Greg) Dwarf Barbarian-5

Tiberius (Jeff) Human Scout-2 Fighter-1 (Deceased)
Shamus O’Flannagan (Steve) Human Ranger-3 (Deceased)
Kioska (Lewis) Human Druid-2 (Retired)
Primus Ironius Perfectus (Steve) Human Cleric-2 (Deceased)
Slyver (Mark) Human Rouge-1/Monk-1 (Retired)
Drake (Jeff) Human Rogue-2 (Deceased?)
Agustus (Michael) Human Cleric-1 (Deceased)

With the undead threat in the basement destroyed and the basement thoroughly searched the party finally had time to relax. The group finally had a chance to talk with Marzena. They found out that there has been an increasing number of worm related undead attacks in the Blackstone area. This was one of the reasons Marzena was assigned to Blackstone Keep. She further confirms that the creatures in the basement were called Spawns of Kyuss and that Kyuss was an ancient being that spent his mortal life creating a variety of different kinds of undead.
The next day Allustan returned with forty solider from the garrison in Diamond Lake. The adventures told him what had transpired while he was gone. Appius went to the haversack and to retrieved the dragon egg and show Allustan hoping maybe he could identify what type of egg it was. Reaching into the sack and pulled out the egg. Instead of pulling out an egg his hands and arms were covered little green worms in a panic Appius yelled for someone to burn the worms and himself he didn’t care. Allustan released a burning hands spell frying the worms and Appius as well. Appius healed himself and spent the next hour carefully emptying the haversack of all the worms. Allustan listened to the adventures tales and thought that there was something going on with the increase in the number of undead, the Ebon Triad, and the Dragon Ilthane. Allustan and Marzena decided it was time to ask someone who might know or be able to discover more information concerning the growing threat. That person was Eligos and he lived in the Free City. The group decided to leave the next morning and head to the Free City.
On the travels to the Free City the group encounter a group of halfling farmers. They were returning from the city where they were selling some of the “product”. The asked if anyone was interested in some homegrown pipe weed. Miles purchased a small supply and the group bid the halflings a good day. As they got closer to the Free City they encounter more and more local. Some were farmers bring supplies into town other were traders loaded with goods heading to other towns.
The bad news was that there was a huge line of people waiting to get into the city. After an hour the group the adventures made it to the front of the line. The guards looked at the group with some suspicion. They were warned that it is highly unadvised to walk around the city fully armored and carrying their weapons. They also gave a quick search of some of the items and equipment the group had with them. It was at this time they found Miles newly acquired bag of pipe weed. They explained there was a tariff on anyone bringing medical herbs including pipe weed. Miles begrudgingly handed the pipe weed over to the guards who seemed very happy and sent the adventures on their way.
Once in town each of the adventures had things they wanted to do. First Appius convince the group to go to the Church of Ixion and maybe he could get them free lodging. The group went along. Appius met with several of the clerics of Ixion and he could get himself free lodging, but for the group they could get a reduced rate at a inn in the religious part of town. They accepted the offer and got a couple of room. Sandreus asked to sing that night, but the inn explained they didn’t do music at night. Miles and Crag went longing for some companionship for the night. After asking a few question and getting directions they found an upscale place. Miles picked four ladies for forty gold for the night and Crag the dwarf picked two ladies for forty gold for the night. During the early hours of the morning Crag and Miles returned back to the inn with a satisfying smile on their faces.

June 5th Session 24

June 5th Session 24
Swamps near Blackstone Keep
Septimius Flavius Perfectus (Mike) Human Fighter-5
Rollo Mojo (Josh) Human Warlock-5
Sandreus III (Ben) Human Bard-4 Fighter-1
Appius Umbrius Laurentius (Michael) Human Cleric of Ixion-5
Miles O’Flannagan (Steve) Human Ranger-5
Crag Skullbugger (Greg) Dwarf Barbarian-5

Tiberius (Jeff) Human Scout-2 Fighter-1 (Deceased)
Shamus O’Flannagan (Steve) Human Ranger-3 (Deceased)
Kioska (Lewis) Human Druid-2 (Retired)
Primus Ironius Perfectus (Steve) Human Cleric-2 (Deceased)
Slyver (Mark) Human Rouge-1/Monk-1 (Retired)
Drake (Jeff) Human Rogue-2 (Deceased?)
Agustus (Michael) Human Cleric-1 (Deceased)

After a refreshing night of sleep the adventures awoke ready to take on the kobolds. Unfortunately, the shaman didn’t mention the path to the kobolds was completely submerged. The party checked with themselves and found Miles, Septimius, and Crag were good swimmers, Rollo was just ok and Appius and Sandreus were poor swimmers. For Septimius and Crag the weight of the armor and gear made it difficult to swim. Rollo chose to spider climb the wall underwater (faster movement), Septimius with his slower movement rate chose to bring up the rear and just walk. Crag with his swimming ability and toughness lead the way. The passage went about 50 feet then disappeared underwater. So underwater the group went. Miles was about twenty feet in when he got caught in a snare. Crag cut the ropes and they continued on now knowing to look out for the snares. Unfortunately another 10 feet later Crag got caught in another snare. Again he chose to hack his way out of the entanglement. Now fully aware of the snares Crag continued on another 10 feet and found another unseen snare. Now use to the effects he just hacked his way out of the snare and continued on. Just before surfacing he found the final snare. Coming out of the water the adventures saw a thirty-foot tunnel and turned to the right. Slightly dried off the adventures pressed on. Rounding the turn the group spotted six kobolds sitting and leaning on a pile of rocks. Crag, Miles and Septimius rushed ahead and met the kobolds in the tunnel. Rollo launched his eldritch blast while Sandreus (w/ his song) and Appius (w/spells) enhanced the warriors. The kobolds dropped before they even had a chance to get going in combat. In front of the group were hundreds of foot long lizardmen eggs and in the middle of the right side of the room was a huge 3-foot tall black scaly egg. Using his spider climbing ability Rollo climbed the walls and moved over by the egg looking for any kind of traps on or around the egg. Upon finding nothing the group decided to move the lizardmen eggs out of the way so they could get to the giant egg. Once a path was wide enough Miles and the rest of the group moved in to get a better look at the scaly egg. Not knowing what else to do the group chose to place the egg in the Hevard’s Handy Haversack. Examining the rest of the room they spotted three chests on the opposite shore. Again gentle moving the eggs out of the way they mode their way to the opposite side of the egg room. It was there that they saw that the tunnel continued on and disappeared under some more water. Inspecting the chest they found four potions (later found out to be Cure Light Wounds). Knowing that the tunnel must be the way the dragon was able to get into and out of the room the adventures after much discussion decide they should find out what was at the other end of the underwater passage. Again Rollo used his spider climb ability while Crag walk/swam along Miles was next and Sandeus and Appius would try to swim to the best of their ability and Septimius would trudge along the mud. So again they were off. Rollo and Crag got quite a ways ahead followed by Miles, who was slowly falling behind Rollo and Crag. Septimius set a steady pace marching through the mud. Sandreus had a slow start and Appius got quite a ways in and decided to turn back and try and get a better run after catching his breath. After about 100 feet Rollo and Crag came to an opening the lead into the bottom of a stagnant pool of water. Crag and Rollo chose to surface and get their breath back. Once they finished survey that landscape they dove back down. At the bottom of the pond they passed Miles. Miles continued up to surface while Rollo and Crag began their trek back to the egg chamber. Miles surfaced took a breath and dove back down. Along the way Rollo and Crag turned Appius, Sandreus and Septimius around and got them all heading back to egg chamber. Once Miles surfaced they explained that the passage open into a stagnant pools of water in the middle of the swamp. With this knowledge the party returned the eggs back into the mud and six inches of water and retuned back to the shaman.
The shaman told the party that the black scaly egg was theirs to do with as they please. The tribe would be moving since the contract with the dragon was ended and he had access to the lizardmen eggs they needed to move to a new location. Further the shaman had one more request of the party. Upon returning to the land of the humans could they try and set up a peace treaty of sorts. He was hoping the group could explain that it was the act of the old lizardman king to war upon the human and that the shaman and his remaining lizardmen didn’t want a war. The group bid farewell to the shaman gathered Marzena and the remaining soldiers and returned back to Blackwall Keep.After an uneventful trek through the swamps the adventures were surprised to find the remaining soldier not in the keep but staying the stables. It was explained that a while back the keeps wizard went into the swamps to talk with the lizardmen. Everything was fine after he returned, but a few days later he changed into some kind of under creature. They were able to trap the creature in the cellar of the keep and nailed and locked the door. Unable to bring themselves to kill their friend they chose to ignore him and forever leave him behind the door. Unfortunately they discovered after the party left that the lizardmen had broken the door open and the creature had killed and taken two of the remaining soldier. It was at this time the remaining soldier moved into the stables for security. The adventures grabbed their weapons and rushed into the keep. They investigated the main floor and the basement discovering that the creature must have returned into the tunnel where it had been kept prisoner. The tunnel went forward 40 feet and open into small 20 by 2o foot room. There in the room were the three undead creatures (later identified as Spawn of Kyuss). Appius quickly raised his holy symbol and called upon the light of Ixion and the three undead, poof, turned to dust.

May 29th Session 23

May 29th Session 23
Swamps near Blackstone Keep
Septimius Flavius Perfectus (Mike) Human Fighter-5
Rollo Mojo (Josh) Human Warlock-5
Sandreus III (Ben) Human Bard-4 Fighter-1
Appius Umbrius Laurentius (Michael) Human Cleric of Ixion-5
Miles O’Flannagan (Steve) Human Ranger-4
Crag Skullbugger (Greg) Dwarf Barbarian-4

Tiberius (Jeff) Human Scout-2 Fighter-1 (Deceased)
Shamus O’Flannagan (Steve) Human Ranger-3 (Deceased)
Kioska (Lewis) Human Druid-2 (Retired)
Primus Ironius Perfectus (Steve) Human Cleric-2 (Deceased)
Slyver (Mark) Human Rouge-1/Monk-1 (Retired)
Drake (Jeff) Human Rogue-2 (Deceased?)
Agustus (Michael) Human Cleric-1 (Deceased)

With the worm ridden lizardman still smoldering the heroes chose to go back down the hall, turn left, go back down the stairs, and continue around the perimeter of the complex. Sure enough the next room was barracks for a group of five more lizardmen. They dropped two in the first six seconds of battle, but this time they chose to try and capture one of the lizardmen and ask him a few questions. When they got down to the last lizardman they chose to subdue him rather than kill him. After he fell, Appius awakened him, Crag intimidated him, and Sandreus diplomatically explained to him that they would like to ask him a few questions. Not surprisingly the lizardman seemed very willing to help. First question was about the worm-ridden lizardman. The prisoner Salac had no idea about a worm-ridden lizardman, but seemed very concerned about the mention of worms. Crag and Sandreus pressed him for more information and he explained that the last two clutches of eggs were destroyed by an infestation of green worms. Next they asked about the prisoners taken from the Blackstone Keep. Salac explained that they were in the custody of tribes shaman Hishka, but they were the property of the tribes leader Shukak. Salac fearing for his life recommended they talk to Hishka about the prisoners. The group having Salac, firmly in hand, had him lead them to the shaman. They continued down the hall into a room of lizardmen. Salac explained about the worms and explained how the party had “sort of” offered to help. The lizardmen followed the group into the next room. The next room was different from all the previous living quarters. This room was decorated wood and clay beads hanging from the walls with a small fire pit in the center of the room and several pots of dried herbs near the fire. Also in the room was the oldest looking lizardmen anyone had ever seen and two unconscious prisoners. The shaman seemed more than willing to listen to the adventures and their proposal. The adventures explained they wanted the prisoners and that one of lizardmen had been infested with green worms. The shaman thought for a moment and explained that the prisoners were not his property, but that they were property of the tribes leader Shukak. Hishka said that if Shukak was not around that the prisoners would become his and that he would be willing to give them back to he group. Hishka pointed the bloodthirsty group towards the leaders quarters and wished them luck. They continued down a hallway through a four-way intersection and continued straight ahead into a large room with a makeshift throne. Seated upon the throne was the biggest lizardmen anyone had ever heard of. Besides the throne were two regular lizardmen prepared to defend their leader at all costs. Immediately the battle insured. Crag frothing and foaming at the mouth along with Septimius rushed the leader. Rollo let loose blast after blast upon the leader. Miles rushed one of the guards and Sandreus rushed the other guard. The leader was exceptionally strong and inflicted serious damage one both Crag and Septimius keeping Appius busy healing as fast as he could. Sandreus dropped his lizardman and moved around behind the “King”. Miles finished his lizardman next and began moving forward. Crag and Septimius landed blow after blow, but the lizard king wouldn’t go down. Sandreus having snuck behind the king rushed him from behind and attacked him. The King swung his attacks around and dropped Sandreus in a flurry of attacks with his trident. Although not dead Sandreus was slowly dying. Crag and Septimius took advantage of the king attacks on Sandreus and both landing powerful shots and ended the reign of the lizard king. Crag claimed the lizardman horns as souvenirs for his collection of tough fallen enemies. Rollo told the party that the trident was magical along with a potion and several items behind the throne, a wand, ring, dagger, and cloak. Gathering up their treasure they returned to Hishka. Hishka explained to the party that the prisoners were theirs, but that he needed a favor. The clutch of lizardmen eggs were currently guard by some kobolds who were given to the king to guard the eggs by a dragon ally named Ilthane. Hishka wanted the group to dispose of the kobolds and remove the dragon egg that was a sign of trust between the king and the dragon. The party agreed, but they needed a safe place to camp so they could be at full strength when they encounter the kobolds. Hishka offered his room and explained that none of the lizardmen would harm the party as long as they were in his room under his protection.

May 22nd Session 22

May 22nd Session 22
Swamps near Blackstone Keep
Septimius Flavius Perfectus (Mike) Human Fighter-5
Rollo Mojo (Josh) Human Warlock-5
Sandreus III (Ben) Human Bard-4 Fighter-1
Appius Umbrius Laurentius (Michael) Human Cleric of Ixion-5
Miles O’Flannagan (Steve) Human Ranger-4
Crag Skullbugger (Greg) Dwarf Barbarian-4

Tiberius (Jeff) Human Scout-2 Fighter-1 (Deceased)
Shamus O’Flannagan (Steve) Human Ranger-3 (Deceased)
Kioska (Lewis) Human Druid-2 (Retired)
Primus Ironius Perfectus (Steve) Human Cleric-2 (Deceased)
Slyver (Mark) Human Rouge-1/Monk-1 (Retired)
Drake (Jeff) Human Rogue-2 (Deceased?)
Agustus (Michael) Human Cleric-1 (Deceased)

After surprising and decimating the group of five lizardmen the group decided to go down the stairs that they were right next to. They enter another living quarters of five more lizardmen. Acting like a well-oiled construct the adventures rapidly dispatched the lizardmen without taking any damage. The new room they entered had two exit, one up some stair to the right and one hard to the left, but on the same level as they were already on. They chose to explore up the stairs, they quick realized this must be the garbage room as the smell met them before they saw the room. The room was filled with dozens of hand-sized beetle and two of the biggest Otyugh they had ever seen. These otyughs were twice the size of the ones they encountered under Dourstone Mine. The battle was fierce as the otyugh grappled Septimius and Crag. The party in their usual manner against tough monster laid the hurting down. In the end the party was once again victorious, although they had a few wounds and a couple of diseases. Searching the room they found no treasure per se, but they found some mushrooms that have restorative properties to anyone who suffers from Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma damage.

The party decided that they would go back to the harpy room and search for treasure because their had to be something there. In the harpy room they again searched the perches, but this time Rollo cast detect magic and found a hidden area on the ground. They found a pair of boots and a circlet. Now that they were back on the other side of the complex they chose to go down the stairs and see what was down there. The room again was a living quarters of the lizardmen. The difference this time was that there was a large snake in the room in addition to the five lizardmen. The adventurers knowing that the lizardmen were not much of a threat chose to take out the snake as fast as they could. Septimius rushed up to the snake and inflicted some heavy damage. The remaining lizardmen waylaid Crag and the rest of the party. It was at this time they realized that the snake was an animal companion to a lizardman druid. Luckily Crag had damaged the druid enough that he couldn’t cast a spell. Once they figured out who the druid was they quickly eliminated both the druid and his pet before polishing off the rest of the lizardmen. The druid only had a handful of magic berries for treasure in addition to the normal mundane lizardmen items. The room itself had only one exit so the group continued on into the next room. Just like most of the pervious room this was the living quarters of five lizardmen. The battle began just like the previous ones except for one of the lizardmen was actually hitting and took enough damage to drop a normal lizardman, but this warrior kept fighting. The group concentrated the majority of the attacks upon the warrior and dropped him quickly. The rest of the lizardmen dropped like all the previous chumps. After Rollo cast detect magic they discovered that the warrior was wielding a magic club. The room had two exits one looked like it might link up with the staircase they bypassed by the main entrance. The other exit continued ahead looking like it headed further into the complex. Logically thinking the group chose to make sure the exit linked with the front and to be sure nothing got in behind them. The exit quickly went up a set of stair and branched one to the left and one up another set of stair towards what they thought might be the front entrance. The staircase looked like a dumping ground for trash from the denizens who lived on the floor. Investigating the trash a vine lashed out from under the pile and attacked the front line fighters. Even catching the group by surprise the vine couldn’t latch onto any of the adventures. Once again the lead fighters quickly dispatched the plant and continued checking out the trash. Finding nothing of value they continued the rest of the way up the stair and down the hall finding the staircase below the main entrance. Turning back they went back past the dead vine and took the passage. The passage spilt into a Y, one going slightly left and one going slightly right. They chose to go right. The passage again opened up into another living quarters of five lizardmen. Battle quickly insured. Lizardmen were dropping left and right. When the third lizardmen went down green worms burst out from his wounds. The last two lizardmen seeing their comrade filled with green worms ran full speed from the room out the exit across from where the adventures entered. The adventures decided it might be smarter to kill the worms than chase the lizardmen out the room. The group poured oil and set the worms ablaze. Rather than following the lizardmen out the room the chose to go back out the way they came into the room.